Inquiry into spying on Kim Dotcom ordered by NZ Prime Minister

We talked a lot about the drama centering on Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom. The New Zealand Prime Minister has ordered an official inquiry into claims that the New Zealand Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) unlawfully spied on Dotcom. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has called efforts to intercept communications sent by Dotcom illegal.

Key called the spying illegal after it emerged that the GCSB had wiretapped Dotcom’s communications without receiving necessary authority and permissions. The GSCB is New Zealand’s equivalent to the FBI. Dotcom tweeted, “I welcome the inquiry by @johnkeypm into unlawful acts by the GCSB. Please extend the inquiry to cover the entire Crown Law Mega case.”

Authorities in New Zealand have been the focus of a lot of criticism over alleged mishandling of the Dotcom arrest and trial. Dotcom claims that he was punched, kicked, kneed and otherwise mistreated during his arrest while offering no resistance to officers. The New Zealand High Court ruled in the past that search warrants used for the raid were invalid.

Dotcom has also been working on launching his Megaupload site again and claims that the work is 90% complete. Dotcom is also at work on music service called Megabox. Dotcom still faces extradition to the United States with a hearing on his extradition to take place in March of 2013. The extradition case was previously set for August of 2012, but was rescheduled after allegations that police mishandled the case.